Shackles - What and Where To Buy?

[marcfj60]

First thing on my list for my 40 are new shackles and bushings. I could use some advice in this area regarding who makes good ones, what type to get and what type of bushings I should get. But keep in mind that I'm a cheap bast.... I mean a person who appreciates value for my money.

I'll assume it would be a good time to replace the bushings (and possibly the spring pin) at the pivot end of the spring as well. I've seen greasable standard length shackles and spring pins by OME. They're just ridiculously expensive. I'm sure I could make my own but I don't really want to tackle that at this point.

Are the bushings one piece or do I buy two bushings per pivot point? Two per pivot would make 4 bushings per shackle and 2 bushing per spring pin. So to replace all the bushings for the whole truck would I need 24 of them?

What about bushing sizing? How does that work? ID, OD and Length?

Standard, non-greasable shackle kits appear to be the cheapest with my limited searches. I think I saw an OME greasable kit with 4 shackles for $125. There were greasable spring pins as well.

 

[WES1977]

It would be two bushings per shackle bolt. Have you looked at COOLCRUISERS.COM - Toyota Land Cruiser Parts & Restoration they are pretty cheap on some stuff, but be carful what you order from them. The HFS bolts are 5/8" thick which is a little bigger than your stock ones.

 

[WES1977]

sor has a good selection on bushings. Specter Off-Road-Land Cruiser Parts - Page 289-Poly Bushings
here is my old post, look at my shackle bolts.
https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/84522-ccot-greasable-shackel-bolts.html

 

[marcfj60]

Thanks for the suggestions Wes. Do most of the members in Mid-Atlantic TLCA live in the Hampton Roads area? I'm planning a visit in about a year and it'd be great to meet up with with some of you for lunch or dinner while I'm there. We used to live in Hampton and Newport News and will be coming out to visit friends who still live there and do all the tourist stuff like Williamsburg, Busch Gardens, Water Country, the beach (probably Sandbridge), Museums, etc....

 

[pappy]

Marc,

I don't remember the details when I bought mine, but I do remember the bolts used on the shackles were larger than stock. I ended up with stock bushings, but I had to drill them out for the larger diameter bolts. I seem to recall this was common.

 

[Cruisergreg]

I think I have some 40 bushings

Marc,

I believe I have some new 40 bushings (poly I think) that your are welcome to. Don't know if I have a full set or not. I'll try to see if they're in the garage some night this week, provided the dragon lady gives me access.

 

[marcfj60]

Thanks Greg. I'll take what you've got if you can get it.

 

[BionicCruiser]

for cheapness, make your own shackles. it's super easy and i made mine with a sawzall, drill press and a grinder in a few hours for about $10-15. probably a hair more than that now for the steel. you could drill them by hand too. i used 5/8" bolts i belive and Specter had bushings in stock for that exact application. if you want to see them, i can take pics and check the bolt size.

 

[BionicCruiser]

ok here they are. IIRC they are 1/4" cold rolled steel.

 

[BionicCruiser]

and for reference, here's the Specter "heavy Duty" shackles i bought about 12 years ago. the center piece angle iron was knocked out (on the welds) somewhere wheeling and i had to add that rectangle tubing because they were buckling and going to break or bend. mine have been over the Rubicon trail 1.5 times plus Cruces and whatever other wheeling i've done over the last few years.

 

[marcfj60]

I was thinking about making my own as well. I considering doing extereme overkill with 3/8" cold-rolled steel. Then I was going to make a drawing of the shackle, buy a plate of adequate size and get a water-jet company to cut them all out identical, including the holes. Then I thought I could buy some high strength 5/8 bolts and drill them to make them greasable with a zerk on one end.

I've seen a lot of non-standard shackles with bars like the ones from SOR, Anti-inversion shackles, articulating shackles..... I'm still debating whether to finish the SOA that was started or swap the axles from my '72 and go with a more mild SUA system that requires far less modification to axles, steering, axle tube ends for the cut and turn, addition of track bars, shock mount locations, etc. I can buy a complete set of SUA lift springs (2.5" - 4" of lift) with shocks and associated hardware for $600 - $800. I'm not sure I'm interested in the extreme rock crawling that the SOA would be better for. Also, If I do a more mild lift with a vehicle that is in better shape, I can make another one for more hardcore stuff using the SOA axles and the body that's in worse shape.

 

[Ruadhrigh]

Then I was going to make a drawing of the shackle, buy a plate of adequate size and get a water-jet company to cut them all out identical, including the holes.

If you go this route let me know. I have contacts at almost all of the local machine shops

 

[marcfj60]

Cool. Thanks. I have contacts at only the most expensive places and couldn't afford them for personal stuff.

 

[BionicCruiser]

that's why i used a hand grinder and drill press. paying for machine work makes it similar in price to buying a set ready made.
they aren't high precision stuff. you can get within 1/16" or better (probably closer to 1/32") w/ a tape measure and center punch it for the drill. that's plenty good enough for shackles. getting too anal is probably part of why Aley never finished it.

 

[marcfj60]

getting too anal is probably part of why Aley never finished it.

Good point.